Gay-rights Law Opposition Gives Out Fliers

July 24, 1990|By TOM DAVIDSON, Staff Writer

The first organized opposition to a proposed gay-rights ordinance has appeared in the form of a group calling itself Christian Coalition of Broward County, which distributed leaflets on cars at churches on Sunday.

The coalition said it opposes the proposed amendment -- which goes before the voters on Sept. 4 -- because of fears the amendment will sanction homosexuality and create special privileges for gays and lesbians in Broward. Gay activists deny the accusation.

``I really don`t see making preferential treatment or minority status for any philosophy,`` said Maurice Baum, South Florida director of Christian Coalition of Florida.

He said the fliers, which urge opponents of the ordinance to register to vote, are the first of about 200,000 the group plans to give out.

If approved by voters, the amendment would ban discrimination in housing or employment on the basis of sexual orientation. Landlords could not evict homosexual tenants simply because they are homosexuals, nor could employers fire someone because of their sexual orientation.

Baum said homosexuality differs from other classes already protected from discrimination -- such as race and religion. ``If you`re homosexual, you`re homosexual by choice, not by birth.``

Homosexual activists argue that homosexuality is not a choice freely made, but rather a trait to which some people are predisposed. They say Christian Coalition`s arguments are inaccurate.

``They`re obviously a bunch of right-wing extremists,`` said Brad Buchman, a gay activist and chairman of United Citizens for Human Rights, a political action committee campaigning for passage of the amendment.

Gay activists have said they will refuse to debate the measure on religious grounds. Instead, they prefer to emphasize an anti-discrimination message.

Because of that, ``we`re really not very concerned with (the coalition) at all,`` Buchman said.

For the moment, the clash is centered on registering voters. To be eligible to vote on Sept. 4, people must register to vote by Aug. 6.

United Citizens for Human Rights, the political action committee supporting the amendment, has registered about 1,000 voters and plans to register an additional 1,500, Buchman said.